Bears’ 2024 Re-Draft Pick Would Replace Odunze With Mitchell

A retrospective of the 2024 NFL draft has the Chicago Bears taking cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at No. 9 rather than wide receiver Rome Odunze, the player they selected there. The proposed change comes after Odunze’s first two and a half seasons in Chicago fell short of expectations for a top-10 pick, and second-year receiver Luther Burden III moved ahead of him in the team’s order.

Mitchell, originally selected 22nd by Philadelphia, has become a strong perimeter defender for the Eagles. The re-draft’s author argues that he merits a top-10 selection, though the Bears-focused assessment questions how well he would have performed without Philadelphia’s powerful defense and supporting defensive backs.

The Bears’ current roster also complicates the hindsight case against Odunze. The argument is that choosing someone else could have meant Chicago kept DJ Moore rather than trading him to Buffalo this year, potentially leaving the team without the cap room to acquire defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. That alternative roster, the assessment says, might not have looked as strong after Chicago’s recent prime-time win over Seattle.

Odunze has also produced important catches and third-down receptions in the Bears’ last two games, despite a costly end-zone drop in Week 7. Other possible choices include edge rushers Dallas Turner and Jared Verse, as well as offensive tackle Tyler Guyton and cornerback Kamari Lassiter. The assessment favors tight end Brock Bowers among available alternatives, but notes he was already taken sixth in the re-draft.